Fall of a Risen Kingdom
by Michi-chan aka Hime-Venus
Summary: It's been 300 years since the senshi fell into a slumber that would bring them into a new era. But something is wrong. Rei has awoken, but the memories of her past life are gone. All she knows is what is before her. Follow Rei as she fulfills her duty to a certain queen. This mission could very well be the difference between the beginning or the end of the world.
1. Chapter 1

"That one?" The man exclaimed with surprise. "Are you sure? She's a fighter." Rei recognized that voice. How could she not? It was that same, oil over gravel voice that awakened her most nights, and nagged her each day.

"I'm sure I can handle her." Another voice. It sounded familiar. Like a memory from too long ago. Just out of reach.

"Okay. It's your funeral." The sound of keys echoed in the darkness around her. She opened her eyes. Two figures were silhouetted against the hard fire light. The first figure with the keys was a short, pugly man. She didn't need bright light to remember his pig like features. Or his smell.

The other man, was a mystery. He was much taller than The Pig. His aura was more dignified and cool as well.

A customer? Maybe.

"Can't say that I'm glad to finally be rid of her. She was a handful, but she made me a lot of money over these last couple of months." The man said nothing as The Pig pulled open the cell door. "Don't get to close now. She bites." The Pig fingered his right ear. Or, at least, what was left of his right ear. Rei had to bite back a smile. So you could teach an old pig new tricks.

She listened to the man approach slowly, coming deeper into the cell and deeper into the darkness. She only sat and waited. Her arms were shackled in front of her and one leg was anchored to the stone floor. She couldn't run, but she knew a few tricks to put up a decent fight. Enough to make a man think twice about laying a hand on her.

The man stopped just a few feet in front of her. She lifted a brow in mild surprise. He was just out of her reach. Had he done it on purpose?

"I know you are awake." He simply said. His voice covered her like a warm blanket. That familiar tone. Strong and gentle at the same time. An odd combination in a world such as this.

"I have a cautious one today." Rei drawled. She remained seated on the floor, her hand hovering over the ground, and one leg bent under her, balancing her weight on the ball of foot.

"I was informed by Mr. Taffe that you were... wild."

"Such a compliment I might just blush," she spat instead. "So what did he promise you? Twenty, thirty minutes? Want me to lie back and spread out? Or were you planning on sweet talking me?" There was silence.

"Reign in your tongue." He spoke softly, but the hard command wasn't wasted on her ears. "I have purchased your freedom. Or, at least, your freedom from all of this."

"And in return?" Rei kept her voice even. Not daring to hope. Not daring to reveal said hope.

"In return, you do want you were born to do."

The man had spoken the truth and within the hour she was a free woman. Relatively. She was in the man's debt, but it was a much better situation than the pig man's farm. Or so she hoped.

She walked out into the desert heat, the sun beating down on her head. She stepped in a topless car and settled on the warm seats in the back as the man finished his transaction with The Pig. Slowly, she looked up at the place that had been her home for a long as she could remember. Granted, she could only remember what she knew as of six months ago.

The Colosseum, a white bricked, circular building that stood eight stories, was the home to many poor desolate souls whose only way to get a hot meal was to fight in the arena day after exhausting day. The Pig was the master and ruled with a leather whip, iron chains, dark cells, and promises of freedom if they worked hard enough.

Rei had been a fan favorite. The thought made her frown. How would one go about scrubbing memories from their mind?

"Saying your last goodbyes?" The man asked as he climbed into the driver seat. Rei turned around, silently vowing never to look upon the building again for as long as she lived.

"Where are you taking me?" She asked instead.

"Crystal Tokyo." She visibly flinched.

"It's open?" Her voice barely reached a whisper. The man looked behind him, then turned his attention back to the flat, dead space of the desert.

"You can say that." The memory flowed through her mind against her will. She had stumbled and dragged her weakened body to that God-forsaken place, only to be denied entry.

"I'm surprised you haven't asked me yet." A faint smile played on his lips.

"Asked you what?"

"Who I am." Rei made an acknowledging sound in the back of her throat. It wasn't that she forgot. It was more like, she didn't care to know. The man who had "owned" her before, was known to her only as The Pig. Yes, he had a name. She had even been told said name. But in Rei's mind, the man was beneath her, and thus she made no effort to remember him. Instead, she called him The Pig.

She was sure this man too would tell her his name. But he too was beneath her.

"Not going to ask?" When she said nothing, he continued the one sided conversation. "Endy. That's my name. Well, that's what you can call me." Rei almost laughed out loud. What kind of name was Endy? It sound like a child's nickname.

"Not a name I would have picked," she muttered. If the man herd her, he made no acknowledgment. Rei decided to call him Mr. Silent.

The rest of the trip was made in silence. Living up to his new name, Mr. Silent didn't ask any more leading questions. She made no inquiries of their destination, figuring that when they got there, she would be instructed on a need to know basis.

Instead, she turned her attention to the changing landscape.

It was three hundred years ago when the world went to sleep. Starting in Tokyo, a natural phenomenon placed the entire nation under a sleep spell. It didn't take long for the effects to cover the entire planet.

As every living thing slept, a dense crystal surrounded their physical forms, freezing them in time while the earth shifted and changed around them. The lands moved and merged into one large mass. Over time, the center of the land mass became a barren desert surrounded by mountains. This was known as the Dead Lands.

Mr. Silent drove through the scorching heat, stopping at nomad villages along the way for water and various supplies. At the edge of the Dead Lands, they abandoned the car to board the rail cars that would take them to the other side of the mountain.

Rei remembered very little after that. After emerging from the darkened caves, they were surrounded by lush over growth. Buildings protruded from the treetop, each one more overrun with greenery than the last. But it was the large crystal-like structure that eventually caught her eye.

It marked the center of Crystal Tokyo. The Diamond Palace, as it was known, had been surrounded by an impenetrable force field since the three-hundred-year-sleep began.

After three days, the rail car came to a stop a few miles from the Palace. Mr. Silent had another vehicle waiting for them. The sun was barely set by the time they reached the outer walls.

The car pulled up to a stop and Mr. Silent climbed out and opened the door for her. Slowly, she disembarked from the vehicle and stood before the castle wall. Indeed, the force field was gone, but her unease lingered.

"If you would follow me." Mr. Silent didn't wait. He walked right up to the gate and opened a smaller, man-sized door.

Just put one step in front of the other, Rei thought to herself. Her bare feet felt like led. With very little grace, she followed Mr. Silent inside the palace.

It was deathly quiet inside. There were no maids or servants bustling about the corridors. There was no music or murmured conversations. Not even the soft wind could be herd throughout the impossibly thickened walls. The only thing Rei could make out was the fleshy plop of her feet on the marbled floor.

Mr. Silent lead her down a long carpeted hallway. Probably the only hallway that showed an resemblance of having been occupied by a living creature.

He opened another set of door to a large meeting room. There were only three things in the large room. A platform. A chair that sat on the platform. And, a woman sitting calmly in the chair.

Mr. Silent bowed and stepped aside as he made the proper announcements.

"I have brought you Lady Rei, as you requested." Rei fought a smile. A lady? She was anything but.

"Thank you Endy." The woman's voice was like music complementing the sunny room. She stood with the grace of a bird and all but floated the short distance to stand before Rei.

Shame, an emotion Rei had long thought she abandoned, welled up inside her. This woman, who, like Mr. Silent, also felt familiar. But more importantly, she had the look of royalty and importance. Real importance. Like a princess or a queen. Someone who had been born to rule over others.

Then there was Rei. Rei who was still dirty from The Pig's coliseum and the long ride over. Rei, whose hair was matted with so much dirt and grime that it all but stuck to her shoulders. Rei, who wore tattered, drown, dingy rags and no shoes to speak of.

The woman smiled, as if sensing her unease.

"I've been waiting for you. It's felt like an eternity." Re could not speak. The words were lodged in the back of her head. This woman was so damned familiar. But who was she.

The woman saw the confusion in Rei's eyes. She turned sharply to Mr. Silent and pinned him with a hard stare.

"She does not remember."

"I was unable to recover her from her capsule state." He said simply. "She was already awake, and had been for months before I could locate her."

"Then..."

"I woke up six months ago," Rei stated, finding her voice. "I don't remember anything before waking. But after..." Rei's voice trailed off as she remembered that day. The woman watched with careful eyes, putting invisible pieces together in her mind.

"I see," was all she said for pausing. "I am Queen Selene. Di you truly not know me?" Rei shook her head. Selene sighed and ran a hand over her long platinum hair. What an odd color, Rei thought.

"Well Lady Rei," Selene took Rei's hands in her own. "Memories are overrated. Bothersome things that hold you back." Rei stared at their joined hands. Selene's creamy white to her own sun bruised leathery skin. It should have been a wonder how this pristine woman could touch her at all. Any yet, it didn't feel odd.

"This is your new home. You will have a bed, warm food, fresh cloths, and all the pleasures you can imagine."

"What's the catch?" Rei asked bluntly. Selene stilled.

"Excuse me?"

"What. Is. The. Catch." Rei pulled her hands away. "What price do I pay for this?" Selene looked puzzled at first. Then a slow smile spread over her face. It was the kind of smile that warmed you to your toes while chilling you to the bone.

"Why," she tiled her head just slightly. "You need only to do what you are told."


	2. Chapter 2

Rei stood at the threshold of the southern gate. Just beyond those massive doors was a thicket of thin trees. Beyond the trees she could see the makings of a small village. She wasn't sure what lie beyond that.

"Lady Rei?" She turned slightly. Queen Selene stood several paces away. "Did you wish to visit the village?" she asked. Rei watched the painfully beautiful woman before her. Over the past week, she had been able to do nothing else.

As Selene and Mr. Silent were the only living souls in the castle, she had been compelled, of curiosity and boredom, to watch them from time to time.

"You can go if you wish." Selene stated simply.

Rei turned back to the village beyond the trees and pondered the concept. She had never considered going somewhere on her own. In the coliseum, she had dreamed of the day when she would walk past the iron doors with her freedom. But a part of her had known that it could never happen, no matter how many battles she won. So it had remained a whimsical concept.

Now, presented with the very reality of this seemingly whimsical concept of which she spent her waking moments denying, she found herself struggling with the idea.

"I never though leaving would be a challenge." Rei muttered. She could feel Selene's eyes boring into the back of her head.

"Lady Rei," she said after a moment of silence. "If you don't mind, I'd like you to come with me." Relieved to have some kind of instruction, Rei did not hesitate to follow. Idleness did not become her.

Selene guided her through the courtyard to a tower that stood at the castle's center. There was only one door that led inside. They climbed what felt like a never ending staircase and emerged at the top, high above even the tallest tree in the forest.

Selene walked over to the edge, her long platinum hair and gossamer dress billowing in the high winds. She rested her palms against the guardrail and looked out with eyes that could see what no one else could see.

"This is the highest point in all the world, and it is the center point of this land. You can see everything from the Deadlands to the southern shores." Rei remained silent. The lands were spread out like a badly put together quilt. The mountains moved about in an ununiformed pattern and the splotches of desserts were like blemished on the land's lush green skin.

"I rule over these lands, as is my destiny. As is my fate." The sadness in her voice seemed ill placed. "I desire only unity and peace."

"Unity?" Rei asked, unable to keep the mocking tone in check. Selene smiled then.

"I know what you think. The people of this land are as scattered as leaves in the wind. Even with instruction, they are difficult to manage."

"Your Higness." Rei's heart jumped. She whirled around to that Mr. Silent had crept up behind them somehow. Be gave a slight bow, but not before Rei saw a faint twinkle in his eye. He knew that she had been startled, and that irritated her. "The Barons have arrive and are awaiting your presence." Selene nodded.

She paused at the top of the staircase. With a mischievous smile, she turned back to Rei.

"How would you like to observe?"

The converged land on which they lived did not have a name. It was a combination of what used to be Japan, East Asian, Western Europe, Northern Africa, Eastern North America and Southern South America.

The rest of the land broke off and either sank below the sea level, or crumbled into tiny islands and scattered about. The majority of the human population resided on the mainland, which had no name.

The main land was then divided among twelve individuals who held the title of Baron. How they came into these titles was not known, but they had ruled the divided providences for as long as anyone could remember. It was a family position that was always passed down to the first born child.

When the Crystal Palace opened, the Barons knew that they had to report to the Queen. It was part of that royal blood.

But reporting for duty was not the same as being loyal, nor did it mean they were unified. Rei saw that first had as the barons bickered amongst themselves. She had seated herself in a shadowed corner of the grand meeting hall. It wasn't hard to find a hiding place since the whole room seemed to be nothing but shadows.

"We are in the middle of a drought and we simply cannot spare the crops. Or do you want us to suffer from famine as well?"

"That is Baron Glouster of Tirda Valley." Rei suppressed the urge to jump out of her seat. There was Mr. Silent again. This time he had managed to take a seat next to her. To her irritation, sneaking up on her was becoming a sadistic pastime for him.

"Where did you come from?" Rei hissed. Mr. Silent placed a finger to his slightly upturned lips before turning his attention back to the meeting. Keeping his voice barely above a whisper he took the role of informant as she tried to keep up with the flow of conversation.

The Tirda valley was located to the southeast on the other side of the mountain range. It bordered the southern desert but had been spared the sweltering heat. They supplied most of the crops for the Deadlands since it was the only place east of the mountains that had land suitable for farming.

"Oh please. The people of the desert constantly suffer from a scarcity of food. It would do your fat farmers good to lose a little weight." Baron Gidora of the southern desert and bitter enemy of Tirda Valley.

Several years ago, Tirda had attempted to expand her borders and take control of the Valley and its resources. She had failed when the Baron of the northern desert threatened to invade the southern lands if they did not withdraw their occupation in the valley.

"Calm yourself Gidora. Our climate is always harsh and it would do well if we could all work together." Baron Norris of the Northern Desert. He was a tactical genius with the most powerful reserve army in the Deadlands.

He was older than Gidora and younger than Glouster, but his experience put them both to shame. He was known as the peacekeeper of the east and had been the one who initiated the project of running a rail car through the mountains for supplies and later passengers.

If it weren't so far, we could provide food for you." Baron Hanabi of Chazen Burrow sounded less than remorseful. She snapped open a intricately decorated fan and held it to her lips, suppressing a not so subtle giggle. Chazen Burrow lay to the west and had been gifted with abundant resources. They provided everything from lumber to textiles. It was mostly made up of farmers and artisans.

"Bitch," Gidora hissed. She stood so fast that her chair toppled over behind her.

"How barbaric. But I suppose that's what to be expected of the Deadlands." Baron Sathatsa of Dareden stroked his white beard, leaning back in his chair with an insightful expression. He was probably the oldest of all the Barons and has been accompanied by his son Tristan, who was due to inherit the title of Baron any day now.

Dareden was directly west of the Crystal Palace. As one of middle providence, with Crisses to the north and Bretha to the south, they enjoyed easy access to many resources and the privilege of being within close access of the Queen herself.

Gidora growled before righting her chair and retaking her seat. The meeting proceeded.

Baron Nautaliss of Bretha asked for supplies and craftsmen to build new buildings and repair damaged towns. They had suffered much damage from a hurricane off the south shores just last spring.

Baron Sisafa of Crisses offered assistance to both Bretha and Tidra Valley. Crisses was an industrial providence and dealt mainly with manufacturing and processing raw materials.

Baron Laffette of Payon, which sat at the far west end of the main land, and Baron Reedy of Talapia, which sat at the far southern tip, denied assistance.

"Now that we have that settled, I want to know what is the situation with the ridiculous jump in coal prices." Baron Lue of Rosma impatiently tapped his bony finger on the table.

Sisiafa shook her head. "I'm afraid it's due to the trickling supplies of Kunzite Ore."

Kunzite Ore, a mineral that could be refined into both solid and liquid form, was used to power the technology of the land. Coal had been used at one point. But the deposits were rare. So was oil. And electricity was unreliable. But what made Kunzite Ore so special was that it could be re-deposited and recharged through specific deposits. In other words, it was infinitely rechargeable.

"If I remember correctly, that's Nazuma's area of expertise," Gidora sneered. Baron Nazuma of Viltra, located to the far north and surrounded by ore rich mountains, all but uncurled from his chair like a snake preparing to strike. His bony frame barely cast a shadow in the dim light.

"Mining has become difficult as of late. The shortage has affected us as well."

"Oh?" Gidora drawled. She leaned back and crossed her arms over her ample chest with a cocky smile. "I hear that kunzite ore is fetching a pretty good price on the black market."

"What are you implying you Neanderthal?" Gidora's smile dropped.

"I've heard rumors about smuggled ore from your mines and going for double the market value."

"And where did you hear such rumors?" Something flashed in his eyes, and then it was gone. "Oh, that's right. The South Desert is known to harbor sneak thieves and criminals."

"Why you-" Gidora slammed her palms on the table.

"The truth is," Nazuma interjected before she became too riled. "We are experiencing a feral beast problem. The conditions have become unsafe for our miners. We are ill-equipped to deal with such a problem. We've hired mercenaries, but the cost has been quite expensive."

"Maybe," Sisafa piped in. "We can help." She turned to Norris. "Perhaps we can assist in transporting a collection of our soldiers to deal with the beats."

"A lovely idea my dear Sisafa, but we too are suffering from a feral beats problem." Norris steepled his fingers together as he thought out loud. "However, I doubt the people would welcome our assistance being outsiders from the other side of the mountain."

"I suppose," Sisafa said sadly. Since the providences were in a time of peace, it was not necessary to keep an army ready and waiting.

"Not everyone is out to do good for goodness sake Sisafa," Gidora laughed. "I still think it's fishy. Feral beasts never stopped you before. Don't you have stock piles or something."

"Why you-"

"That will be quite enough." The room fell silent. Selene, who had remained a silent observer during the proceedings, had finally spoken.

"The shortage of kunzite ore is an issue that cannot be ignored as it is the source of sustainable power that is widely used by all of us. If feral beats are preventing you from producing the ore needed to keep the main lands running, then I shall produce a solution."

"And just how, pray tell, will you manage that, your Highness." His voice dripped with distain and mockery. His knowing grin told all that he truly believed that in the end, he was going to do what he wanted.

"I shall provide you with protection." Nazuma's laugh echoed off the walls.

"How your Highness. We all know that you hold no power beyond these walls." Rei saw Mr. Silent flinch out of the corner of her eye. Was it true. Was she just a nameless, useless queen? Or was Baron Nazuma talking about her physical strength, because she was lacking in that as well.

"Not me personally Baron Nazuma." Selene smiled that secret smile. "Lady Rei, do come forward." Rei blinked several times in confusion. Why was the queen calling for her?

She turned to ask Mr. Silent, but he had suddenly disappeared. She frowned. How could the man move like him move so fast without making a single sound.

With no other option, she moved from the shadows to stand beside the queen at the head of the table.

"Are you insulting me?" Nazuma growled. "This… girl?"

"Do not let her looks deceive you. She had survived the coliseum for six months. I am quite sure she can handle a few dozen farel beasts."

"The coliseums?" Gidora leaned forward, casting a critical eye on Rei.

Re kept her eyes forward, looking at a spot on the wall far above the heads of the barons. Nervousness was another emotion she didn't understand. Nor did she understand the sudden urge to fidget and blush as all eyes were cast on her.

She was used to being watched. In the coliseums, she was observed by hundreds nearly every day. But this was different somehow. Her fingers itched to reach for the weapon she had strapped to her ankle.

"You can't be serious," Hanabi said from behind her fan. "I'll attest that the coliseum is no playground, but I doubt she'll be up to the task you're about to set before her."

Selene stood. She radiated grace as she moved behind Rei and placed her hands on her shoulders. "As you said before Baron Nazuma, I have no power outside of this castle. So allow me to correct that and use the power I do have inside this castle to aide you. Unless, you take issue with my uninhibited assistance for some reason."

The room fell silent. Rei knew a stalemate when she saw one. And this was a battle of wills between Selene and Nazuma.

In the end, the Baron relented.

"If you so insist your Highness. But I will not be held responsible when she dies."

- Author's Notes –

M-chan: So in the end, this chapter ended up being way longer than I had anticipated. In fact, I rewrote it three times until I got just what I wanted.

Rei: So indecisive.

M-chan: ..um… so anyway, I started out in one direction with this story and totally changed my mind in the course of writing this chapter. I was going to, at first create this elaborate and eceptive plan, but I felt it was too much like Moon Revenge.

Rei: So you changed the characters completely?

M-chan: Not exactly. If I say more, I'll ruin the story.

Rei: Have you even thought about it.

M-chan: Yes. I came up with the plot for chapters 2,3, and 4 while I was on the train.

Rei: Don't you usually sleep on the train.

M-chan: Uh… well… -cough- Enjoy!

Rei: Typical..


End file.
